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T.O. Morrow
T. O. Morrow (Thomas Oscar Morrow) is a depraved genius whos obsession with his name, led him to develop an obsession with the future. T.O. Morrow is quite clever and easy to underestimate. Two of his greatest assets are his charisma and his ability to talk himself out of a jam. When it comes to goals, Morrow has only two: eliminate the Justice League (he still seeks revenge on the old Leaguers because of his multiple defeats), and grab as much personal power as possible. __TOC__ Background Information In the parallel universe of Earth-One, Morrow, since childhood has desired to glimpse into what the future holds. When he was old enough, Morrow entered top scientific academies as part of an attempt to unlock the secrets of time. After he graduated and left school, while unable to invent a time-machine, Morrow did invent a 'computer forecaster' (like a special "television set") that allowed him to look about 100 years or so into the future. He would examine many of the futuristic instruments and then replicate them for use in his present time. He has since been able to create a device he calls a 'fourth-dimensional grapple beam', which actually allows him to reach across time and steal whatever he wants.As revealed in Flash, #143 (March 1964). He was however, successful in finding a way to transport between Earth-One and Earth-Two. He also clashed with both the Justice League (whom he especially hates) and the Justice Society. During Morrow's first scheme against the JLA, he had to fend off the Flash and Green Lantern. Morrow, in what appeared to be a desperate act to escape capture, seemingly kills himself on one of his 'future tech' explosive devises.As revealed in Flash, #143 (March 1964). In reality, Morrow had transported himself to Earth-Two.As revealed in Justice League of America, #64 (August 1968). Morrow's second scheme involved the use of futuristic technology to construct a powerful android he called Red Tornado. Shortly after apparent defeat by the Flash and Green Lantern, T. O. Morrow acquired materials he needed for his creation while on Earth-Two.For more on these materials, see: Mystery in Space, #61 (August 1960) and Justice League of America, #17 (February 1963). His plan was to infiltrate the newly-reformed Justice Society of America from Earth-Two. After the JSA determines the Red Tornado is not a threat, the Tornado feels himself being drawn by some unknown force and leaves. He arrives at the Earth-Two lab of his maker, T.O. Morrow. When the Red Tornado tries to stop Morrow, he uses his futurenergy gun to deactivate the robot. Meanwhile, back at the JSA headquarters, their alert monitor notifies them of the Red Tornado's battle against Morrow and they go to lend him a hand. An unfortunate accident using the futurenergy gun knocks out all the JSA members. Victorious, Morrow cannot settle for just being the master of one Earth, and decides to go back to Earth-One and defeat the JLA. However, when he goes to consult his computer forecaster, it tells him that the only way he can defeat the Justice League is if they team up with the Red Tornado.As revealed in Justice League of America, #64 (August 1968). Having left the Red Tornado for dead, along with the rest of the JSA, Morrow is unconcerned about the computer forecaster's prediction. And so, he journeys to Earth-One to defeat the JLA. Upon his arrival at the Justice League headquarters, he is able to incapacitate several of the Justice Leaguers with his futurenergy gun. Meanwhile, back on Earth-Two, the Red Tornado has only been stunned. His computer mind is drawn tp Morrow on Earth-One. Arriving at the secret JLA Headquarters, he finds that Morrow is no longer there and the JLA appears dead. The Red Tornado plays back a recording of Morrow's schemes. He surmises that he five heroes need to be kissed from their 'true-love' in order to be revived. The Red Tornado enlists the help of Hawkgirl and together they contact Steve Trevor for Wonder Woman, Jean Loring for the Atom, Midge for Snapper Carr, Mera for Aquaman and of course Hawkgirl for Hawkman. Upon kissing their respective lovers, the five stricken heroes revive. The Red Tornado, wanting to use one of Morrow's recovered weapons to revive the JSA, gathers our five heroes and attempts to take them to Earth-Two. While on route, they encounter Morrow, in the void between the two parallel Earths. He is attempting to use a device that will break down the vibrational barriers between Earth-One and Earth-Two, thereby annihilating both planets. He is surrounded by faceless minions. Aquaman, the Atom, the Hawkman, and Carr attack Morrow's faceless minions, Wonder Woman destroys his machinery. The Red Tornado goes after Morrow. He is captured and together they bring him back to Earth-One to revive the rest of the JLA. Morrow is apparently sent to prison. Red Tornado returns to Earth-Two where he uses the device to revive all the members of the Justice Society. In thanks, the JSA offer Red Tornado membership with the group. Red Tornado thanks them, but tells the group that he really wants is to create an identity for himself.As revealed in Justice League of America, #65 (September 1968). On the occasion of his next battle with the JLA, Morrow's computer forecaster tells him that he can defeat the JLA by ensuring that a 'new member' is added to their ranks. And so, he managed to temporarily regain control over Red Tornado. He implants a bomb inside of him, hoping to wipe out the Justice League. The Leaguers saw through his scheme and again foiled him. But before he could be imprisoned, however, Morrow suddenly winked out of existence without warning or explanation.As revealed in Justice League of America, #106 (July/August 1973) In was eventually revealed that Morrow did not die and somehow became two separate people: a 'reincarnated human-form' and a 'mutated higher-being.' The reincarnated human-form of Morrow was transported to an alien planet.As revealed in Justice League of America, #192 (July 1981). While there, Morrow discovered a device he called the ‘Power-Sceptre’ (which re-arranges matter). He found he could control this device with his mind. He went on to conquer this world and thus lure the Flash (his longtime enemy) and the Atom to their eventual demise, by kidnapping Iris Allen and Jean Loring. In doing so, he inadvertently kidnapped Supergirl as well.As revealed in Super-Team Family #11 (June/July 1977) and Justice League of America, #192 (July 1981). He was ultimately defeated and returned to Earth and imprisoned.As revealed in Justice League of America, #192 (July 1981). The mutated form of Morrow turns up some months later, calling himself Tomorrow, the Future Man and vows to take revenge on his enemies. He discovers however, that his mutation is killing him (his organs are failing as they cannot keep up with his mutation) and attempts to save his life by switching minds with Red Tornado in an attempt to assume his identity. The Red Tornado was able to fight back and he won his body back. The Future Man's body failed and he died.As revealed in World's Finest #265 – #268 (October – May 1980) and Justice League of America, #192 (July 1981). When the reincarnated human-form of Morrow heard of the existence and death of his counterpart, he escaped prison, returned to his Rocky Mountain Hideout (Queen Bees old hive) and his super-computer. He examined all the data he concerning his disappearance and this 'other-self.' He learned that the original android that had been constructed had been inhabited and animated by the Tornado Champion just before Morrow originally dispatched the android to eliminate the Justice Society. This unwelcomed inhabitation turned out to be the cause of his disappearance and the splitting into two sentient beings. Meaning this data was never taken into account before and thus caused an error in the computations. He then attempted to build two additional Red Tornados and unleashed them onto the JLA with poor results. His analysis led him to believe that his original design for Red Tornado was flawed. However, if that is true, how could he explain the first Red Tornado's success? Months later he is able to lure the Red Tornado to his hidden lair and capture. As Morrow dissects the Red Tornado, he unexpectedly releases a powerful blast wave of energy and the Red Tornado disappears. The JLA appears shortly and confronts Morrow. They determine that he doesn't know where, or what has happened, to the Red Tornado. Morrow then, using his ‘Power-Sceptre’ (which can now draw power from his 'super-computer') tries to overcome the JLA, but he is attacked by the Tornado Tyrant and flung away like chaff in the wind. The Tornado Tyrant turns his aggression to the JLA and virtually destroys them all. Firestorm (the Nuclear Man) is hidden, but poised to attack. However, he is stopped by the Tornado Champion. The Tornado Champion reveals to Firestorm that it started it's existence as the Tornado Tyrant but was defeated, on Rann, by Adam Strange. He then came to believe 'good' was stronger than 'evil'. As he explains further, he takes Firestorm to the body of Red Tornado, who is covered in rubble. He continues his tory, by telling Firestorm that he journeyed to Earth-Two and happened upon Morrow who was building an android killer, the Red Tornado. He then decided to inhabit the inert form of the Red Tornado, losing all memory of itself.This origin of the 'Tornado Champion' is from Justice League of America, #17 (February 1963). This origin is also retconned in Justice League of America, #193 (August 1981). Firestorm is astonished to hear that the Red Tornado is partially a living being. He decides to use his atomic restructuring power to rebuild the Red Tornado, trapping, and fusing the Tornado Champion, and the Tornado Tyrant, once again within the Red Tornado's body. When the Red Tornado recovers, he has no memory of the last several hours. Firestorm decides not to tell him what happened.As revealed in Justice League of America, #192 (July 1981) and #193 (August, 1981). Morrow has disappeared once again. Powers and Abilities * Genius Level Intellect * Robotic Engineering: T.O. Morrow is the world's foremost authority on robotics. Paraphernalia Equipment * Computer Forecaster * Fourth-Dimensional Grapple Beam: allows him to reach across time and steal whatever he wants. * Duplicator Machine: allows him to duplicate anything. Appearances ''Super Friends #8'' (November 1, 1977): *This issue states the Red Tornado's appearance follows the events in [[Justice League of America, 146| Justice League of America, Vol. 18 #146]] (September, 1977). Notes * T.O. Morrow’s first appearance was in Flash, #143 (March 1964). * He was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino. External Links *Thomas Oscar Morrow (New Earth) at the DC Database *T. O. Morrow at Wikipedia References Category:Characters Category:DC characters Category:Flash enemies Category:Green Lantern enemies Category:Justice League enemies Category:Villains Category:Scientists